She leads the solar industry's expansion push in California

The gig: Bernadette Del Chiaro, 43, is executive director of the California Solar Energy Industries Assn., the industry group pushing expansion of solar power in California on rooftops and with power plants in the desert. The native of Sonoma Valley has held the post since July 2013.

Yosemite's beauty: In eighth grade, Del Chiaro visited Yosemite National Park in California's Sierra Nevada and marveled at its beauty. "I literally had a crush on that place," she said. "I fell in love with the Sierra Nevada." She pondered the musings of Scottish American naturalist John Muir and the idea that "our air and our water and our earth is a common good that we all share. If we're not careful we will hurt ourselves and all of the other little creatures."